


Autumn

by satb31



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Autumn, Books, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fireplaces, First Dates, Fluff, M/M, Rain, Tea, raking leaves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-18
Updated: 2014-11-18
Packaged: 2018-02-26 05:27:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 1,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2639798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/satb31/pseuds/satb31
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A set of seven three-sentence fics, based on autumn-related prompts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Joly/Combeferre: Crackling Autumn Bonfires

The firepit was a housewarming gift from Bossuet, who handed it off to them with a cheeky card warning them not to burn their new house down, but they have not had time to make use of it yet; the demands of medical school and their nascent political activist group have made it virtually impossible for Combeferre and Joly to spend time together anywhere other than the bedroom, where they reunite each evening in more ways than one.

But on a clear, fall Saturday evening, there is a hunter’s moon, and they are both at home and awake at the same time, so Combeferre proposes they make use of their gift and build a fire outside; Joly is hesitant at first, knowing how smoke has this unfortunate tendency to make his eyes water, but he can never resist Combeferre, knowing that his boyfriend will draw on his endless bank of experience to identify the perfect kind of wood and stack it just so in order to make the perfect fire.

So Joly relaxes and lies back on their chaise lounge to watch Combeferre make fire, his lips forming a slight smile as he watches Combeferre’s face, intent on his task and illuminated by in the warm light of the fire; when Combeferre finishes his task to his satisfaction and rises to his feet, brushing his hands on his jeans, Joly silently extends a hand to him, beckoning him to join him, and Combeferre agrees quickly, unable to resist the siren call of Joly for long — and together they watch the fire crackle and hiss, their long limbs entwined as they bathe in the warmth both of their gift and of each other.


	2. Jehan/Joly: First Storm of the Autumn

The wind has changed direction and the sky looks ominous, and Joly knows exactly what is coming; he’s a native of this part of New England, so Nor’easters have been a part of his existence every fall for as long as he can remember, and he is prepared for whatever comes his way: he has batteries and candles and non-perishable food, he has put away the patio furniture and filled up his gas tank and charged his phone, although when the rain and the wind begin to kick in, he cannot relax, wandering around the house, peering out the windows and listening intently in case a tree branch lands on their roof.

Prouvaire, by contrast, is the calm amid the storm — his preparations merely consisted of making sure he had enough books to get him through the day and night; indeed, the tempest is providing him with inspiration, so he huddles under a blanket on the couch, typing away on his laptop, trying to capture the whirlwind in his prose.

Sometime that evening a particularly strong gust of wind knocks out the power, causing Joly to practically jump out of his skin; sensing his boyfriend’s distress, Prouvaire puts down his laptop and pats the cushion beside him, beckoning Joly into his protective embrace, hoping that his touch will calm him — or, at the very least, distract him until morning breaks.


	3. Combeferre/Grantaire: First Date and It Starts to Rain

Of course their first date takes place at the museum: Grantaire loves art and Combeferre loves collecting, so it’s a natural fit for their first outing; plus wandering through the galleries gives them something to talk about, avoiding the awkwardness of being on an actual date when they have known each other as friends, or at least as friends of friends, for as long as they have.

They meander through the Classical collection, where Combeferre spends a great deal of time peering at the ancient coin collection, and they explore the Contemporary wing, where Grantaire explains where he gets his inspiration; but eventually they find themselves footsore and starving, so they make their way to the exit — only to discover that since they entered, a sudden rainstorm has descended on the city, pooling on the stone steps of the museum and turning the streets into rivers.

Ever resourceful, Combeferre ducks into the shop to buy the last umbrella left, which is printed with a reproduction of Monet’s Water Lilies; Grantaire guffaws when he sees it, knowing how he was just pontificating about how overrated the Impressionists were, but he is grateful to have it when they step outside into the deluge, and even more grateful when it gives Combeferre an excuse to put his arm around him and steer him toward the train that will take them to a nearby restaurant — and eventually, to the warmth of Combeferre’s apartment, where another storm will overtake them.


	4. Combeferre/Courfeyrac: First Fire of the Year

The first frost of the autumn is predicted for a Friday night, a night when Combeferre and Courfeyrac are supposed to meet their friends at the Musain, but they decide to stay home instead: Combeferre has a lot of grading to do for the class he’s teaching this semester, and although Courfeyrac thrives on being with his friends, he ignores Combeferre’s insistence that he go out alone, preferring the company of his boyfriend — and wondering when, exactly, he began the process of nesting.

But he puts on the radio and begins making dinner for them both, which they consume with wine and a conversation about how their respective days went, with Combeferre grimacing at the demands of his undergraduates and Courfeyrac sharing something unintentionally funny that Marius confided in him over lunch; after dinner, they retreat to the living room, where Combeferre takes up residence on the couch under a quilt, his papers strewn about and a pen behind his ear that he keeps forgetting about, while Courfeyrac lights a fire in the hearth and stretches out in his chair with his book, listening to the fire hissing and spitting and the scratch of Combeferre’s pen on paper.

After a time, Courfeyrac looks up from his reading and notices there are snowflakes falling outside — he is not a fan of winter, and normally the sight of snow would make him long to move to a warmer climate, but tonight it just makes the scene seem even cozier and happier; and eventually he rises and dims the lights and joins Combeferre on the couch, where he tosses away the papers and crawls onto his lap like an overgrown kitten, more than ecstatic that he decided to add Combeferre to his collection — a collection that at present numbers just one.


	5. Jehan/Azelma: Raking Leaves

Prouvaire has lived in this house for just a couple of months, but he feels as if he has known his neighbors forever: they are a family, although he rarely sees the parents around — only a pair of sisters who leave together each day for jobs, doing something in the service industry, and a trio of younger boys who occasionally get on a school bus when they’re not wreaking havoc in the neighborhood.

The girls, he’s noticed, perform all of the household chores — he sees them taking out the trash and pushing the lawnmower when the grass gets too long — and when he glances up from his desk to look out the window on a crisp, sunny fall day, he sees the two of them wielding rakes, gathering the fallen leaves into one big pile, the wind tangling their hair as they work.

Prouvaire steps out onto his deck to watch them more closely, a steaming mug of coffee in his hand, intrigued by their laughter in the face of a life that he senses is not an easy one, but as he contemplates their plight, the younger one looks up and notices him; she waves and smiles at him ever so slightly, but before he can screw up the courage to get past his shyness to approach her, the boisterous young boys come from out of nowhere and jump in the pile of leaves, calling out her name as they do — Azelma, they say, and Prouvaire commits it to memory as he wishes he could join in, but instead, he will bide his time until they can be alone.


	6. Enjolras/Combeferre: Jumping in Leaf Piles

When Enjolras and Combeferre bought a house together in the spring, one of the things that attracted them to the house was the thicket of trees that surrounded it, keeping the house cool in the summer and protecting them from the prying eyes of their neighbors; however, what they did not seem to realize was that the oaks and maples would shed their leaves, making their fall cleanup an arduous task.

Combeferre wields the leaf blower like a professional, gathering all of the crimson and gold leaves into one enormous pile, as Enjolras looks on, leaning on his rake, completely oblivious to the fact that Combeferre is becoming increasingly irritated at him for not offering to help; it is only when the machine is turned off and they begin shoveling the leaves into bags that Enjolras notices his boyfriend’s spine is stiffened and his mouth is set in a tight line.

Enjolras puts his nose to the grindstone and tries to work harder, but Combeferre will not be swayed, and the silent treatment continues, so Enjolras decides to try another tack, dropping his rake, backing up across and yard, and taking a running leap into the pile, tossing the leaves all over himself like an overeager puppy; at the sight of the normally serious Enjolras acting like an overgrown child, Combeferre has to stop and laugh — and then, unable to help himself, he throws his own body on the pile, adult responsibilities set aside, for at least a few moments.


	7. Jehan/Courfeyrac: Drinking Tea and Reading Books by the Fire

When Prouvaire arrives home after teaching his classes on a blustery November afternoon, he expects to find an empty, chilly house, and in his mind he is planning to bundle himself into a thick sweater and hide under the electric blanket until he is finally warm enough to turn the pages in his book; instead, he walks into a house that is illuminated by a warm glow, with a kettle of tea whistling on the stove, a fire crackling in the hearth, and a radiant Courfeyrac bustling about, clearly having sweet talked Prouvaire’s landlady into giving him access.

“What is this?” Prouvaire asks, his mouth agape — but the words are barely out of his mouth before Courfeyrac silences him with a kiss and sends him upstairs to change; when he returns, Courfeyrac is sitting in one of the chairs next to the fire, a book in his hand a tray bearing tea and home baked scones beside him.

For a brief moment, Prouvaire pauses on the stairs and wonders what Courfeyrac’s motives are — if he is somehow atoning for a misdeed he committed in recent memory — but just then Courfeyrac looks up from his book and flashes Prouvaire his brilliant smile; if a sin has indeed been committed, all is forgiven as Prouvaire sinks into the opposite chair to sip his tea, read his book, and bask in the radiance of Courfeyrac’s love.


End file.
